Genie Prayers

God isn’t your genie in a bottle. Let me say it again for the people in the back, GOD IS NOT YOUR GENIE IN A BOTTLE. His wish is not your command. God is the CEO of the universe, and he just so happens to desire relationship with you.  That relationship isn't a "command it, be so" relationship. When we think of God as our Genie in the bottle we belittle him to a servant. Christ did model servitude, but that was so that we would reciprocate the example. The deity of God is mighty and majestic, and was not designed to be your personal butler. 

When the only time that we call on the name of the Lord is when we find ourselves ins tricky situations, we are essentially telling the Lord that we don't desire his character or his person. It's a lot like only calling home when you need something. Your parents are eager to make sure that you have everything that you need, but more so they are concerned with the wellbeing of your person. They are interested in the happenings of your day to day, and when we take that for weakness, we exploit their goodness toward us. Very often we do the very same thing with the Lord. So many of us have grown up in a civilization that teaches us we are entitled to a plethora of things so we don't see the flaw in our ways. SO we cultivate friendships based on who can benefit me the most rather than, I genuinely enjoy your company. We build marriages around the idea that this a partnership that can propel me to the next level, instead of my soul being knit yours. We raise kids to believe that they are the center of the universe, and when someone challenges that we move heaven Earth to show them that they are. Newsflash: they aren't. You and your kids are not the center of the universe. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not the center of solar system. Even the Sun has to answer to an omnipotent God. When we pray genie prayers we assume that we are indeed the center of the universe. We then have the nerve to get upset when God doesn't turn around and deliver the way that we asked him too, although the last time we even tried to speak to him was the last time we were in trouble. 

Let's be real. How apt are you to respond to someone who cares less about you but more about what you can do. I know my speed reaction is at the bottom, whereas you can't slow me down when I know that your intentions toward me are pure. God hears prayer. But he is not a genie in the bottle, and you won't understand exactly who he is, until you take the time to get to know his character, just like in any relationship, you have make some investments.